Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Famous philosophers of India.

DharmaQuiz Session 289: 22-July-2014

#DharmaQuiz 1831: In which place did the the famous 12th century philosopher and reformer, Basavanna, die (Aikya)? Ans: Kudala Sangama, Karnataka.

#DharmaQuiz 1832: The great philosopher Sri Aurobindo's "Savitri" is based on which Hindu Itihasa
(epic)? Ans: Mahabharata.

#DharmaQuiz 1833: Name this 16th century Hindu reformer and philosopher, who started the "Vasudeva Sanstha" movement (house to house bhajan) Ans: Eknath.

#DharmaQuiz 1834: Thakur Jaidev Singh was a philosopher and chief producer of AIR. He was an expert on Shaivism. Of which region's Shaivism? Ans: Kashmiri Shaivism.

{Final,Open till 10.30PM} #DharmaQuiz 1835: Mandana Mishra, philosopher 1200 yrs ago, got what name after becoming Adi Shankara's shishya? Ans: Sureshwara Acharya.

Scores of session 289:
  1. @jitvg : 5
  2. @pramod_klr : 5
  3. @arunz : 5
  4. @abhipar7 : 5
  5. @man8shree : 5
  6. @GuruCharan99 : 5
  1. @3f58ee17d4d34bb : 2
  2. @tradetoday99 : 2
  3. @ajaypawardr : 2
  1. @mrsnrao : 1
  2. @surnell : 1
  3. @seshasivasailam : 1
  4. @manjumca34 : 1
  5. @Hindu_Extremist : 1

Hope we learnt a bit more on the famous souls who guided us!

Friday, July 18, 2014

Hinduism in Myanmar (Burma)

DharmaQuiz Session 288: 18-July-2014

#DharmaQuiz 1826: Where is this ancient temple within Myanmar (Burma), which has eight Brahma's on outside walls? Ans: Nanpaya temple, Bagan.
DQ 1826. Pic: asiaexplorers.com
#DharmaQuiz 1827: Myanmar used a Sanskrit word for the "head of the state" title. Even Japanese endorsed it in 1940s.
What's the title?  Ans: Adhipati (Adipati)

#DharmaQuiz 1828: A scene from drama enacting what is termed as Myanmar's national epic.
What's the name of epic? : Ans: Yama Zatdaw or Yamayana, an adaptation of Ramayana. Rama is termed Yama here. Sita is Thida. Lakshmana is Lakhana and Hanuman is Hanuman.


DQ 1828: Pic: Wiki
#DharmaQuiz 1829: Myanmar has a Goddess named "Thuyathadi", an adaptation of a famous Hindu Goddess/ Devi. Who? Ans: Saraswati.


DQ 1829: Pic: blogspot
#DharmaQuiz 1830: There's a 1000 year old Vishnu temple in Myanmar/Burma. Where? Ans: Bagan. Nathlaung Kyaung temple with 10 avataras of Vishnu all around.


DQ 1830: Pic: travelmyanmar.net
Scores for session 288:
  1. @KaushikRg : 5
  1. @lodyaashi : 3
  2. @conphucius : 2
  3. @anandakonar : 2
  1. @Lata_MV : 1
  2. @rajeshrajput1 : 1
  3. ‏@sambapatnaik : 1
  4. @durgaramdas : 1
  5. @Gooli_here : 1
  6. @SunilTapashetti : 1
  7. ‏@SrDPO : 1

Nice seeing some attempts for a tough session on Myanmar. Thanks.

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

DharmaQuiz Session 287: 15-July-2014

Theme: Yoga Sutras - Yama and Niyama part

#DharmaQuiz 1821: Steya means stealing. Name one of the five Yama's that talk about non-stealing.
#Yoga Ans: Asteya

#DharmaQuiz 1822: Self Study or Swadhyaya is a very important part of #Yoga Sutras. Does it fall under Yama or Niyama? Ans: Niyama.

#DharmaQuiz 1823: Name one of the five Yama's that prescribe Compassion for all living beings.
#Yoga Ans: Ahimsa

#DharmaQuiz 1824: Ishwara Pranidhaana -  ईश्वर-प्रणिधान is one vital part of #Yoga Sutras.
What does it mean?  Ans: To lay all your actions at the feet of Ishwara, or God. Essentially means
submission similar to concepts in Islam and Christianity, but much before them.


{Final,Open till 10.30PM} #DharmaQuiz 1825: Brahmacharya = abstinence.
But #Yoga prescribes it to married ppl also. What does it mean then? Ans: Keeping sexual energy limited to legally sanctioned family circle and not to waste outside.

Scores for session 287:
  • ‏@surnell : 5
  • @mareekuree : 5
  • @man8shree : 5
  • @Mamdhata : 2
  • ‏@vvkashyap : 1
  • @RashtraDevobhav : 1
  • @duvijan : 1
  • ‏@irvathoor : 1
  • @gouripathy : 1
  • @poetrification : 1
  • @SPHEREHEADSAYS : 1
  • @gjayendra1311 : 1

Thanks for participating.

Friday, July 11, 2014

DharmaQuiz Session 286: 11-July-2014

Theme: Foreign born Hindus or Hindu admirers.

#DharmaQuiz 1816:
Born in California, USA.
Founded Hinduism Today.
Founded an ashram in Hawaii, USA.
Name this Guru.

Ans: Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, born Robert Hansen

DQ 1816. Pic: Wiki

#DharmaQuiz 1817:
Born in Leuven, Belgium.
A strong advocate for Hindu revivalism in the West.
Name this historian.
Ans: Dr. Koenraad Elst.


DQ 1817. Pic: Samvada.org
#DharmaQuiz 1818:
Born in County Tyrone, Ireland.
1st Western woman to be received into a Hindu monastic order.
Who?
Ans: Sister Nivedita, born as Margaret Noble.


DQ 1818. Pic: Wiki


#DharmaQuiz 1819:
Born in Massachusetts,USA.
Expert singer of Hindu devotional songs like Endaro Mahanubhavulu.
Who?
Ans: John B Higgins or Higgins Bhagavathar.

DQ 1819. Pic: thehindu.com  
#DharmaQuiz 1820:
Born in Senya Beraku, Ghana.
First Hindu swami of African ancestry.
Who?
Ans: Swami Ghananda Saraswati, born Kwesi Ninson.

DQ 1820. Pic: Twitter

Scores for session 286:

‏@pramod_klr : 5
@mareekuree : 5
@durgaramdas : 5

@tndsr : 3

@AgentSaffron : 2
‏@hemster : 2

@RajaChaama : 1
‏@Yaba_dabadoo : 1
@SreeIyer1 : 1
@sudhirapai : 1
@Kannan9900 : 1
@harish85228184 : 1
@kaushalrucha : 1
‏@svbadri : 1
@MadusudhanR : 1
@SriAiyerRS11 : 1
@_MSKR : 1
@rohitkumarnath : 1
@buzzindelhi : 1
@acharya2 : 1
@hoveringfalcon : 1
@Booombaastic : 1
@ddeb30 : 1
@poetrification : 1
@ponkumar : 1
‏@DrPannagDesai : 1

Hope you enjoyed and learned in the process!

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

DharmaQuiz Session 285: 8-July-2014

Theme: Various Hindu Pujas.

#DharmaQuiz 1811: What's the name of this puja wherein young girls are worshiped as the embodiment of mother Goddess? Ans: Kanya Puja or Virgin Girl Child Worship.

DQ 1811: Pic thiagarajabhavanam.org
#DharmaQuiz 1812: What's the name of this Puja, wherein all the weapons and livelihood tools/devices are worshiped? Ans: Ayudha Puja or Shastra Puja, during Sharat Navaratri. Vishwa karma puja is also considered.




DQ 1812. Pic: thehindu.com
#DharmaQuiz 1813: This puja widely happens on a Purnima day. What's this puja of a life's guide, called? Ans: Guru Puja on Guru Purnima (full moon day)



DQ 1813. Pic: wordpress
#DharmaQuiz 1814: During a special occasion at home a cow (and calf) worshiped & let inside. When is that puja done? Ans: Primarily Griha Pravesha or house warming. But also on Gow Chauth and Bali Padyami during Deepavali.


DQ 1814. Pic: petermalakoff.jalbum.net
#DharmaQuiz 1815: Hindus worship various trees/plants. Which one is termed "Vriksha Raja"? Ans: Ashwattha, Bodhi, Peepul tree or Ficus religiosa L.
 
DQ 1815. Pic: shivallibrahmins.com


Scores for session 285:
  1. @Susri1210 : 5
  2. @durgaramdas : 5
  3. @tndsr : 5
  4. @GayathriSrinath : 5
  5. @pramod_klr : 5
  6. @SamitLive : 5
  7. @sushmahari : 5
  1. @Sunil_Rao_MS : 4
  2. @lodyaashi : 4
  3. @vipulgupta1976 : 4
  4. @CAPMohan : 4
  5. @yesbabunni : 4
  6. @mareekuree : 4
  7. @kiranGowda0007 : 4
  8. @gboxam : 4
  1. @ProtectIndia : 3
  2. @drarora_gaurav : 3
  3. @bhaskar1918 : 3
  4. @AmatyaKautilya : 3
  5. @mrsnrao : 3
  6. @oojnas : 3
  7. @SrDPO : 3
  1. @TiruppurTamil : 2
  2. @Govind1603 : 2
  3. @raamss : 2
  4. @bgnraju : 2
  5. @rahul07b : 2
  6. @gpkotekar1 : 2
  7. @hanumantweets : 2
  8. @rt_abad : 2
  9. @pdthakkar : 2
  1. @saishyam_k : 1
  2. @thapateros : 1
  3. @vishaldwivedi6 : 1
  4. @shankarkumaran : 1
  5. @rt_abad : 1
  6. @HelpAHindu : 1
  7. @nimesh_nagar : 1
  8. @Jooran2 : 1
  9. @ravichandrabr : 1
  10. @anandrk77 : 1
  11. @sandeshats : 1
  12. @adarshdgp : 1
  13. @jitendramehta70 : 1
  14. @piyush1062 : 1
  15. @AtulyaJena : 1
  16. @Supreeth_Ckm : 1
  17. @sumat_patel : 1
  18. @subbbugokarna : 1
  19. @SonunigamsingH : 1
  20. @samba3thy : 1
  21. @vikramkg : 1
  22. @rswaminatri : 1
  23. @nanditathhakur : 1
  24. @ImInAntariksh : 1
  25. @balamy : 1
  26. @Lalliuns : 1
  27. @BJPMember8 : 1
  28. @msvikram : 1
  29. @jayarajmathews : 1
  30. @drsc90 : 1
  31. @wtfex : 1
  32. @kalyanaram1 : 1
  33. @talismaan : 1
  34. @nnijagal : 1
  35. @praveenchandr8n : 1
  36. @BhagwanUvach : 1
  37. @rpmkarthi : 1
  38. @NilimaNilimas : 1
  39. @skdeshpande : 1
  40. @balamy : 1
  41. @Sravan : 1
  42. @prafullsaraf : 1
  43. @rohitkumarnath : 1
  44. @ibhupeshrai : 1
  45. @rajeshrajput1 : 1
  46. @akandpal : 1
  47. @raghumedicon : 1
  48. @yelvee : 1
  49. @kadian_anurag : 1

Thanks for participating in big numbers!